FRESNO, Calif. – Up against Fresno Pacific for the second time this season, Academy of Art volleyball put forth a valiant effort on Friday night, but the Sunbirds managed to come away with a 3-0 (25-17, 25-21, 25-17) win inside their own Special Events Center.

A one-point difference early turned into seven after a run by FPU in the opening set and the margin would reach double digits thereafter. ART U fought back with a 5-1 surge in which redshirt senior outside hitter Safua Elisaia knocked down a pair of kills and redshirt senior libero Lyndsay Mlynar added a service ace. However, time ran out on the comeback and Fresno Pacific would gain an initial advantage with the 25-17 victory.

After trading points early in the second frame, a 7-5 Urban Knights lead was met by an 8-2 response from the Sunbirds, but this time, Academy of Art had its own rebuttal. Junior opposite Kiersten Kerch's kill sparked four unanswered points that included a kill from sophomore middle blocker Sadie Emery and ART U was right back in it, down 16-15. Late in the set, the Knights went to Wheaton multiple times for the put-away and she would keep her team close until three of the final four points earned FPU a two-set advantage by way of a 25-21 result.

"Jillian has done well for us," said head coach Allen McCreary. "She always comes up big in situations and, with her attack as a freshman, she has a ton of potential with a full spring to train. We can't wait to see what more she can do."

One point separated the teams at 6-5 in the third set, but a 9-2 push by Fresno Pacific gave the home team momentum toward a sweep. Sophomore outside hitter Ashley Pawlak cut the margin to four with a kill at the end of a 3-1 run though the Sunbirds would then grow it to nine while forcing set point. A Wheaton kill and FPU attack error looked to start a rally for ART U, but the finale then came in the form of a 25-17 score.

Academy of Art drops to 1-26 on the year and 1-18 in conference action. Wheaton was the night's highlight as she finished with nine kills, no errors, and six blocks (five block assists, one block solo). Pawlak provided six kills plus 12 digs and Kerch added five kills. Freshman setter Picabo Reinhold (13) and senior setter Alana Lucas (11) nearly split the assists and Mlynar, now above 1,000 digs in her career, tallied 14 digs on the night.

Fresno Pacific, now 6-21 overall and 5-13 in PacWest play, was led by a double-double (14 kills, 10 digs) from Carley Bock along with 11 kills by Madison Pierce.

In three days on Monday, Nov. 5, ART U enters Kezar Pavilion for the final time this season as the Urban Knights will celebrate seniors Lyndsay Mlynar, Alana Lucas, and Safua Elisaia prior to their rematch with Dominican at 7 p.m.

"To be successful in the match against Dominican, we will need to have energy and consistency that night," said McCreary.